Sloper mechanism for excavating machines



June 14, 1960 H. L. MEYER ETAL SLOPEIR MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING MACHINESFiled Aug. 12, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Henry L Men er BY AndrewJ: 01' Ll ddo Bates, Eare g m Bean A TTOENEYS June 14, 1960 MEYER ETALSLOPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12,1957 Baies, True (5 m 5ean Al'i'OEA/EYS June 14, 1960 H. 1.. MEYER F-TAL2,940,190

SLOPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING MACHINES Filed Aug. 12, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. Henrz/ L.d Meyer an BY Andrew J. Di Ll'ddo fj' I Bafes, flare & mBean Arrae/VE Y5 June 14, 1960 H. L. MEYER ETALSLOPBR MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 12,1957 Henry Bates, Teare 8r mBean A T TOR NEYS United States PatentSLOPER MECHANISM FQR EXCAVATING MACHINES Henry 1. Meyer, ClevelandHeights, and Andrew J. Di Liddo, Cleveland, Shin, assignors to TheCieveland rancher Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio FiledAug. 12, 1957, Ser. No. 677,691

8 Claims. (Cl. 37-97) invention relates to an excavating machine fordigging trenches and more particularly to the mechanism used to slopethe sides of the trench.

It is often-times desirable in the digging of trenches or ditches toslope the sides of the trench so that they diverge outwardly withrespect to one another. The latter is particularly true when digging asystem of ditches for irrigation or like purposes. Various mechanismshave been devised in the past to slope the sides of a trench. However,these prior art arrangements generally leave much to be desired in thatthey are either extremely complex, resulting in a machine of undesirableweight and cost, or they do not satisfactorily and effectively bevel thesides of the trench. In this connection, many of the prior art slopermechanisms have not ex tended all the way to the bottom of the trench,but have been terminated short thereof due to the problem of providingan adequate support on the machine for the lower extremity of the slopermechanism, and thus the walls of the trench have not been evenly slopedthroughout their total extent.

The present invention provides a trenching machine embodying a cuttingblade mechanism which efiectively and efliciently slopes the sides ofthe trench and which.

over, the present invention provides a trenching ma chine of the abovetype having sloper mechanism which is adjustable in a transversedirection to thereby provide means for changing the degree of slope ofthe sides of the excavation. The bottom support for the sloper mechanismof the instant invention extends from inside the excavating Wheel andlaterally to either side thereof, and embodies an auxiliary cuttingblade structure for loosening material to be sloped adjacent the sidesof the excavating unit of the machine. so positioned on the machine sothat it is disposed comparatively close to the lower ends of thegenerally upright cutting blade elements of the sloper mechanism and yetso arranged that there is no interference with the material to besloped.

In a modified form of the invention a plurality of sloper blades areprovided on both sides of the machine, primarily for use in heaviersoils where one set of blades cannot readily be pulled through the soilto cut a wide trench. A novel arrangement for pivotally mounting certainof the blades of the modified mechanism on the machine is provided topermit raising and lowering of the excavating unit.

Accordingly, the primary object of the'invention is to provide anexcavating machine having an excavating unit and embodying a cutterblade sloper mechanism disposed on either side of the excavating unitfor efliciently and effectively sloping the sides of the resultanttrench throughout substantially the total vertical extent thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an excavating machine ofthe latter described type embodying means for adjusting the angularposition of the sloper The bottom support is 2,940,190 Patented June 14,1960 ICE mechanism with respect to the horizontal and in atransmechanism for loosening the soil to be sloped adjacent the sides ofthe excavating unit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an excavatingmachinehaving a plurality of generally upstanding, cutter blade slopermechanisms disposed adjacent the sides of the excavating unit anddisposed in generally echelon relationship and wherein at least one ofsaid mechanisms is pivotally mounted on the machine to permit rotationalmovement thereof relative to the machine. I

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an excavating machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevational view of the machine of Fig. 1 with aportion of the crumbing structure of the machine cut away to betterillustrate the cutter blade sloper mechanism and attaching structuretherefor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along line33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating ingreater detail the mounting structure for the sloper blade mechanism ofthe in-.

vention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along line44 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating theconstruction of the lower supporting structure for the slopermechanism'and the associated auxiliary cutter blade for loosening thesoil to be sloped adjacent the sides of the excavating unit of themachine; V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top view taken generally along line5--5 of Fig. 2 showing the bracket ar- 7 rangement for connecting thesloper blade mechanism to the upper support structure for suchmechanism;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary rear end elevational view illustratingone arrangement of ground engaging support shoe adapted for attachmentto the upper support structure of the sloper mechanism for supportingthe digging unit and associated sloper mechanisms at a predetermineddepth .of excavation;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modification of theinvention illustrating the use of a plurality of sloper mechanismsmounted on a side of the excavating machine adjacent the excavating unitand adapted primarily for "use in heavier soils where one set of bladescannot readily be pulled through the soil to cut a sufliciently widetrench;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic rear end elevational view illustrating thegenerally echelon relationship between the sloper blade mechanisms ofthe modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper supportstructure for one of the cutter blades of the modified sloper mechanismtaken generally along line 99 of Fig. 7 and illustrating in detail thearrangement for pivotally mounting the sloper blade on the supportstructure;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, rear end elevational view takengenerally along line l0-10 of Fig. 7

bledrelationship with housing 24.

sea illustrating a connection between the lower support for the snipermechanism and the gtirllYiipright blade elements of the lattermechanism.

In the drawings, the invention is illustrated as being "toja 'crrnv lerpropelled excavating machine. The p in -snared is' "of the geheral typ'eshown and described in'USJP'atent No. 2,280,004, issued April 14, 19 42,to Vincent S. Penote, et al and accordingly will as" described in detailhere. However, such an excava rfgniachine broadly includes a basesupporting frame 2, supported on suitable tractor treads 3, a nio'foi 4mounted "on the forward end of the machine, mast strucone 5:fon'supp'ertmg thereon verticall movable boom st are amen excavatingwheel or 'im'it '7 rotatabty. -e'dton been 6 by means of name and whento top element 42 adjacent the sides or excavating unit supporting framestructure 8 and is connected to the latter as at 47 to reinforce thebottom support structure 39. Top element 42 of. support structure 3-9could also be so arranged as to be connected to frame structure 8 of theexcavating wheel unitfl, as by means of welds, to positively fastenbottom support structure 39 to the machine. '7' r V j Blade 44 has itsfront edge sharpened 'orr beveled as at 48 on its laterally extendingportions and is adapted 'to loosen certain of the material to; bejslopedby'the generally upright sl'oper blades 36. Blade dd-ispre'ferl5 7gm'eiit '8 851, and a transversely eitendingdisf: charge eonyeyer 9whieh is drivin'gly' connected terns motor unit 4 of the machine'by adrive-assembly arrange-x the t "generally indicated by reference number'10. :Boom tructure 6 andas'socia'ted exe vanngwhee '7 may be trais'edfand lowe'r'e diby means of cable and pulley system 12' a tiiatedbyw'inding drums 14 and 15 mounted on; trie maehinefrmne.

seemsas psaianar to the meanness or the invention illustrated in Figs. 1to 6 inc lusive ofthe' drawings, vreference number designates generallythe sloper mechanism for bevelingthe sides of the rtrench dug by thedigging wheel? of the machine.

I the structure of theisloper blades.

ably disposed so as) slope generally downwardlyiin a forward direction,as best seem in Fig. 4, so that the dirt being cut byfb la de ddtendstohold or draw the latter into cutting 'contaott'h'erewith. The bottomelement 40 of'sup'port structure 39 causes the material being cutbyblade'fl44 to flow away, from thezunderside of ithelblade and't'husfurther-"loosens theamaterial being sloped by main cuttingblades 256. Itwill base from fig. 3 that the .outer'; ends of blade 4-4 extendsubstantiallyto the inner sides of sloper lhlades 36, 'bufcloinotinterfere withmaterial to ihe sloped by blades 36 or with ;t Th t O1ltIends of bottom 'Jsupp ort structure are each 'connected by means of ahinge 'braclset fitto lower portions ofthe associatedone of main slqperblade In the embodiment shown, the upper support22 3 for slopermechanism 20. comprises a centrally disposed housing portion 24extending transversely through the digging wheel '7 and attached by any'suitable'rrieans; suchas we'lding ietc. to thelongitudinally'extendingbeam elements 611 of boom structure 6. Housing24 is of preferably hollow, "fabricated construct-ion land" receives intelescoping relationship therewith, outer support arms 25. Arms 26 maybe of any suitable construction, :preferably conforming to that ohhousing portion 24, and iriclude atseries ofspaced openings 26ajtherein.Housing; 7 portion 24 also comprises openings 28 adjacent the outerends: thereof for ah'gned' relationship 'with one of the respectiveopenings 26a in the correspomi ng one of; support arm memberszti Aretaining memberflll, suchl i as a bolt or headed pin, extends throughopeningsZS-and 7 a and maintains the arm elements g bra k @m s 2 ra s.'3 ends).

and bottom thereofto define agp'asisageway tori-receivment 7 of thebracket in a generally vertical plane :about the outer end 'ofarmelementlfi of the support structure.

Bracken members 32am: dispos'ed at an angle-with respect to thelongitudinal vertical :plane of the outer EIl'tl'Iif the associated armelement 26 or of' the corresponding center plane'of-the excavatingm'achine: and divergemuu wardly in forward direction with respectthereto can'be best-seen from Figfj of'thedrawings. c r

in the embodiment shown'the bottom support 39 for the'slopermeehanismztlicomprises 'a'n' elongated bar-like j structure (Figs. 3'and 4)*2preferablyofiabriczitedcohstructionand includes a bottomelen'ient' 40o generall'y in-attached assent? a .lpivotallyz t mountedon the outerend of each of armielementsid as by'jmeansofpin-M.Bracket'memberBZ; comprises 7 side and end walls 34a and 34b andisrcipetr at-the top comprises. a plate 'elementelsecnred to the innerside offblade: 36' and inwardly extending lug portions 25.3 hinged asby-means of pin or bolted to lower-support structure-:39. i g

'LMain cutter blade members 36.;comprise elongated generally upstandingbar or -p late-like elements which asaforesaid, are rigidly connected tobottom hinge-bracket 50' adjacent the lower =extrernity of the blades,and. which" extend upwardly through passageway 35:;in the :correispending one of the upper hinge bracket members 32.

l de 6 diverge; upwardly withrespect to one another slope diagonallyoutwardlywith respect tozth'e Elongi--- tndinal vertical center plane ofthe excavating" The -front cutting surface of the blade is. bevelediorscut inwardly in altransverse direction as at 56, Figs. '1 and 45,

whieh ingcombination' with the outward divergence in a forward directionof the bla deiwith respect :to the longitudinal vertical center {planeoftl1e' machine',tacts t'ozninve the material beinglb'eveled from thesides :ofthegtrench' intothe path oftravelofthemainiexcavating.wheehzfrom' which;it;iscarriedfbythebucke't'portions f5! Ihreof to" the "discharge conveyor 9 to bedeposited on either isid' 'of the zexcavating,machineu Blades '36extend-generally;

to the horizontal planeaof theilower extremity :of itlre excavatingWheel 5 jand thus he'vel the sides'lof' the Jtrench throughout theirfull vertical extent. LIt will'be' understood .that the aforementionedbottom support structure '39 which includsaur'riliziry cutting bladeld-zmakes it possible to extend'the main sloperiblades Shalkthdway to.the bottomiof the trench beingldug by the excavating unit 7thus-providing with only-one pass of the machine, anexeavation-'havingrevenly and completely taper 'ed sides. Blades 36preferably slope-diagonally rearwardlyirr an upward direction tasbest-iseenin Fig. i so thatthe mate--- rial :being: sloped tends Ttopull or hold 'the blades in cut-- ting contact withthe ground.

" The .angle' at which the slopes blades as diverge up-f 'wardly withrespect torone another, ma'y be =readily therhon'sing' and arm structure24 and 26, 'slidin 'gfarm eiements 26 inwardly or'butwardly with respect"to hone" ing-porition a until anotherpf openings 26a inarirrele- 'V enangle shapeingvertical cross section; a top elementl I 4210f;.general'lyinyerted or angle shape in' vertical; cross-section, and anintermediate auXiliaryblade j'mem-g ber 44 attached to elements '40 and42 as by meansfof welds. '--An elongated streng'thening 'bar is attachedI ci-ated end of housing portion 24,.1and:thenreinsertmgf changed" bymerely i removing connectingmeans 5! from merits 26-1becorne alignedwith openings 23 in the assowide-range of degrees of sslopemay be 7provided an tthe. excavation and onezside-of-the latter may he' slopedat;

a difierent angle as compared to the other side thereof. As the angularrelationship of the blades is changed, the latter will, of course, pivotabout their connections 54 to the bottom support structure 39 and willslide in unrestricted relationship in passageway 35 of the associatedbracket housing 32 of upper support structure 22. Blades 36 extendupwardly beyond brackets 32 a sufiicient amount to insure that theblades 36 will be retained in assembled relationship with the brackets32 irrespective of the telescoping adjustment of the supporting arms 26of the upper support structure.

A crumbing shoe 60 extends downwardly from the rearward end of boomstructure 6 of the machine and is adapted to engage the floor of theexcavation and to push or propel any loose material in the excavationforward so that it may be picked up by the buckets of the excavatingwheel 7, thereby maintaining the floor of the excavation or trenchcomparatively clean. Crumbing shoe 60 includes lateral side panels 62,each of which has an outer edge configuration generally similar to theslope of the contoured sides of the excavation. In the embodiment shown,the crumbing shoe is so constructed to conform to an angularrelationship of the blades of approximately 45 with respect to thehorizontal. If the divergent position of the blades with respect to oneanother is adjusted in accordance with the aforedescribed teachings, thecrumbing shoe will, of course, have to be removed from the machine orwill have to be replaced by a crumbing shoe having lateral side panelsconform ing to the adjusted slope of the sides of the trench.

In Fig. 6, there is shown a ground-engaging support shoe device 65 whichmay be attached to each outer end of upper support structure 22 of thesloper mechanism for supporting the digging unit and associated slopermechanism at a predetermined depth of excavation. Device 65 is adaptedprimarily for use on a machine operating over comparatively levelground. Device 65 comprises a base portion 66 adapted to be attached byany suitable means such as bolts 67 to an outer end of one of the armelements 26 of the upper support structure 22, a laterally extendingbeam or cantilever portion 68 and a generally vertically disposed collarportion 70. Collar portion 70 has a series of generally verticallyspaced openings 72, extending generally horizontally therethrough and isadapted to receive therein depending leg element 74. Leg element 74 isvertically movable relative to collar 7% and has generally horizontallydisposed openings 76 extending therethrough adapted to be aligned withopenings 72 in collar 70 and to receive retaining members, such as bolts78 for holding the leg and collar element in predetermined assembledrelationship. A ground-engagingshoe skid 89 is secured to the lower endof a leg element 74. Skid 86 is of generally arcuate configuration inside elevation and is adapted to slide along the ground as theexcavating machine progresses forwardly to support the digging wheel andassociated sloper mechanism at a predetermined depth of excavation.Holding means 78 may be removed and the leg 74 and associated skid 80readily adjusted upwardly or downwardly for various depths ofexcavation. It will be apparent that the ground in the vicinity of theexcavation must be of a comparatively level nature in order to utilizeshoe support device 65.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, there is shown a modification ofthe invention comprising in general a plurality of sloper blademechanisms mounted on each side of the excavating unit. The modifiedform of the invention is particularly adapted for use in heavier typesof soils, where one set of blades cannot readily be pulled through thesoil to cut a sufficiently sloped trench. The rearward one 84 of thesloper mechanisms may be generally similar to the first described formof the invention; the forward one of the sloper mechanisms could also begenerally similar in construction to the first described embodiment ofthe invention except that the length of the generally upright bladesthereof would have to be so shortened so as not to extend past the pathof travel of the buckets 57 of the excavating wheel, in order to enablethe forward blades to be able to eifectively bevel the sides of thetrench and direct the cut material into the path of travel of thebuckets 57, as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art. Atransversely extending bottom support structure, similar to the bottomsupport 39 of the rearward sloper mechanism could be provided extendingthrough the wheel 7 and suitably attached to frame members 8 in a mannersimilar to that utilized for aforedescribed bottom support 39.

However, in the embodiment shown, in Figs. 7-10, the excavating machineis particularly adapted for use in sloping the sides of a trench whichhas already been cut by a conventional trenching machine. The machineillustrated in Figs. 7-10 straddles the pilot trench and in one passcompletes the sloping of the sides thereof. It

will be understood by those skilled in the art that the double slopermechanism illustrated in Fig. 7 could not be effectively used withoutfirst digging a pilot trench since the forward blades and bottom supportstructure therefor, as shown, extend past the path of'travel of thebuckets 57 of the excavating wheel. The forward one 86 of the slopermechanisms illustrated in Figs. 7-10 is mounted on supplementary framestructure 88, attached to the underside of boom 6. Referring to Fig. 9,the upper support structure 89 for forward sloper mechanism 86 comprisesa housing portion 90 generally cylindrical-like, in vertical cross'section interior configuration, and having an inner abutment portion orshoulders 90:: disposed generally adjacent the outer ends of thehousing. A support arm 92 extends in telescoping relationship into eachend of housing portion 90 and includes an abutment portion 92a on itsinner end which preferably corresponds in peripheral contour to theinner configuration of housing 9%). Portion 92a is adapted to engageabutment shoulders 90a in housing 90 to maintain support arm 92 inassembled relationship with housing 90 when arms 92 are in their maximumextended positions. Each of arms 92 comprises a series of laterallyspaced openings 94 therein. A collar 96 encircles each of arms 92adjacent its associated outer end of housing 90 and has an opening 96atherein for receiving a holding element 98 such as a bolt or pin whichextends through the aligned openings in arm 92 and collar 96 forretaining the collar secured to the arm element. Collar 96 on its innerend has flange portion 99 which is received in a. threaded cap 10%which, in turn, is removably attached or threaded to threaded endportion 101 of housing 99. A support bracket 102 generally s milar tothe corresponding bracket 32 of the first described embodiment of theinvention is pivotally mounted on the outer ends of each of arms 96 forreceiving and supporting forward blade Hi4 of the sloper mechanism.Blade 194- may be secured to bracket 1432 by any suitable means.

The angular position of blade 104 with respect to the horizontal can bechanged by removing holding element 98 and aligning one of the otheropenings 94 in arm 92 with opening 96a in collar 96, and thenreinserting element 98. Arm 92 and attached collar 96 is rotatable withrespect to cap 260 and associated housing 96 for a purpose to behereinafter described.

As aforesaid the bottom support structure for the forward slopermechanism '86 of the modification may be generally similar to the hingedconnection, bottom support of the first described embodiment of theinvention, except that it is flexibly connected to the machine chassisinstead of being rigidly attached to the excavating unit structure, aswill hereinafter be more thoroughly discussed. However, if the featureof providing for transverse adjustment of the divergence of thegenerally upright sloper blades 36, 164 with respect to one another andto the longitudinal vertical center plane of the means for pivoting sm'dadjacent set of blade elements out of said normal operative positionwhereby said unit and said other set of blade elements may be utilizedin excavating operations.

3. In a mobile trench excavating machine including a main frame, agenerally longitudinally extending boom carried by said frame andextending from the rearward end thereof, said boom being mounted withrespect to said frame for movement in a generally vertical plane, abucket equipped rotary wheel type excavating unit carried by said boomfor digging movement in a generally vertical plane, said wheelexcavating unit being adapted to produce a trench having generallyvertical side walls, sloper mechanism mounted adjacent the sides of saidwheel excavating unit for beveling the walls of the trench coincidentwith the digging thereof, said sloper mechanism comprising a pair ofgenerally upright cutting blade elements disposed on opposite sides ofsaid wheel excavating unit and diverging with respect to one another inan upward direction, each of said blade elements commencingsubstantially at a horizontal plane passing through the lowermostextremity of said wheel excavating unit and extending upwardly to atleast the general level of said boom, and means for supporting saidblade elements in stationary relation with respect to said machineduring excavating operations, said means comprising an upper supportextending transversely through said Wheel excavating unit and laterallyof either side thereof and a lower support extending transverselythrough said wheel excavating unit and laterally of either side thereof,said upper support being supported by said boom and being disposedgenerally rearwardly of said lower support, said lower support beingsupported by said boom in fixed relation therewith and being disposedadjacent the lowermost portion of said wheel excavating unit, said lowersupport including auxiliary cutting blade portions disposed in agenerally horizontal plane and extending transversely between saidgenerally upright blade elements and said wheel excavating unit forloosening the soil intermediate the sides of said wheel excavating unitand said upright blade elements and at said lower support duringexcavating and sloping operations.

4. In a mobile trench excavating machine in accordance with claim 3wherein said sloper mechanism includes means for adjusting the amount ofdivergence of said generally upright blade elements with respect to oneanother to thereby provide for changing of the degree of sloping of thesides of a trench.

5. In a mobile trench excavating machine in accordance with claim 3wherein said generally upright blade elements diverge outwardly withrespect to one another in a forward direction and with respect to thelongitudinal vertical center plane of said wheel excavating unit wherebysaid last mentioned blade elements tend to move the material bevelledfrom the sides of the trench during excavating operations into the pathof travel of said wheel excavating unit.

6. In a sloper mechanism adapted for attachment adjacent a rotary wheeltype excavating unit of a digging machine for sloping the sides of atrench dug by said unit coincident with the digging of the trench, saidmechanism comprising at least one generally upright relativelystationary cutter blade element adapted for disposal adjacent each sideof said excavating unit, said blade elements on opposite sides of saidunit diverging upwardly with respect to one another and adapted tocommence substantially at the bottom extremity of said unit, andgenerally vertically spaced support means adapted to extend transverselythrough and laterally of the sides of said unit and be supported ingenerally stationary relation with respect to said machine, said supportmeans being connected at their outer ends to said blade elements forsupporting the latter in stationary relation with respect to saidmachine during digging operations, the uppermost of said support meansincluding bracket members pivotally mounted adjacent each outer endthereof, each of said bracket members comprising front, rear and sidewalls defining therebetween a generally upright extending passageway forreceiving therethrough in comparatively loose relationship therespective one of said upright blade elements and the lowermost of saidsupport means adapted to be positioned adjacent the bottom portion ofsaid unit and including auxiliary cutter blade portions disposed in asubstantially horizontal plane for loosening the soil at said lowermostsupport means and intermediate said upright blade elements and the sidesof the unit during digging operations, said support means includingmeans for adjusting the amount of divergence of said upright bladeelements with respect to one another.

7. In an excavating machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said legportion is adjustable vertically with respect to said arm portion forvarying the depth of excavation.

8. In a sloper mechanism in accordance with claim 6, wherein saidbracket members extend diagonally outwardly in a forward direction withrespect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the diggingmachine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS402,781 Swanson May 7, 1889 828,831 Van Buren Aug. 14, 1906 929,732 VanBuren et al. Aug. 3, 1909 1,021,928 Hayward Apr. 2, 1912 1,185,834Scalzitti June 6, 1916 1,239,727 Schlatter Sept. 11, 1917 1,467,828Bentson Sept. 11, 1923 2,136,911 Briscoe Nov. 15, 1938 2,320,855 DukesJune 1, 1943 2,763,941 Barley Sept. 25, 1956 2,782,535 Fuller et al Feb.26, 1957

